Which of the following is true of hemiacetals?
A) The most stable hemiacetals are noncyclic.
B) The most stable hemiacetals have four- or five-membered rings.
C) The most stable hemiacetals have five- or six-membered rings.
D) The most stable hemiacetals contain no OH groups.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most stable hemiacetals have five- or six-membered rings due to the minimized ring strain. Noncyclic hemiacetals are less stable due to the lack of intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Hemiacetals can only form with the presence of an OH group, so option D is incorrect. Option B is partially correct as some stable hemiacetals can have four-membered rings, but generally, five- or six-membered rings are more stable.

Which of the Following Is True of Hemiacetals